Reaction chamber and apparatus for delivering liquid propellants thereto at variable ratios and variable rates of delivery



y 3, 1956 H. P. JENKINS, JR 2,752,989

REACTION CHAMBER AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING LIQUID PROPELLANTS THERETO AT VARIABLE RATIOS AND VARIABLE RATES OF DELIVERY Filed Oct. 21, 1952 INVENTOR. HUGH R JENKINS, JR.

ATTORNEYS Unite States Patent REACTION CHAMBER AND APPARATUS FORDE- LIVERING LIQUID PROPELLANTS THERETO AT VARIABLE RATIOS AND VARIABLE. RATES OF DELIVERY Hugh Powell Jenkins, Jr., China Lake, Califl, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Application October 21, 1952, Serial No. 316,107

2 Claims. (Cl. 15836.4)

(Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the pay ment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to pumping apparatus and more particularly to variable displacement apparatus for pumping a plurality of liquids in predetermined delivery ratios and predetermined total rates of delivery.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a bustion bomb in such manner as to minimize the power requirements of the pumping apparatus which delivers propellants to the bomb.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan of the subject of the invention, portions being shown in section and other portions being shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line 44, Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the invention comprises a frame or base plate 10 having a pair of cylinders 11, 11a aflixed thereto in any suitable manner, the

cylinders having, respectively, pistons 12, 12a therein,

secured to piston rods 13, 13a. The piston rods extend through opposite end walls of the cylinders and leakage from the cylinders is prevented by suitable packing s, such as 0 rings 14. Bearing blocks 15, 15a are affixed to plate 10 and slidably receive piston rods 13, 13a,

respectively. p

A lever 16 is pivotally secured inter'mediate its ends to plate 10 by a bushing 17 which pivotally engages a pivot 19 which may be adjusted to a desired position along a slot 20 in plate 10, the lever also having a slot 21 therein in which the bushing may be slid to a desired position. When the pin and bushing have been dis posed in a desired position in these slots, nut 22 is tightened to lock pin 19 to plate 10, and bolts 23, extending between strap clamp 24, 25, are tightened, thus constraining lever 16 to pivot about pin 19.

Piston rod 13 is provided with a rectangular block 26.

having pins 27, 28 projecting from opposite sides thereof, each pin carrying a ball bearing 29. Lever 16 is provided with an elongated slot 30 through which the block extends and other elongated slots 31 for slidably receiving the ball bearings. The connection of piston rod 13a to the lever is the same as that just described for piston rod 13.

A screw 32 is journaled for rotation in bearings 33, 34 alfixed to plate 10 and carries a threaded block 35 having projecting pins 36, 37 which engage in elongated slots 38 in lever 16, similar to the slots previously described which receive the ball bearings. Lever 16 is provided with an elongated slot 39 through whichthe threaded block extends. Screw 32 is rotated by an integral shaft 40 connected to a variable speed motor 41 through a clutch 42 which is preferably of the magnetic type.

Cylinder 11 is provided with a supply conduit 43 having a valve 44 therein and a discharge conduit 45 having a valve 46 therein. Cylinder 11 is provided with similar conduits 43a, 45a and valves 44a and 46a. Conduits 45, 45a are connected to an injector 47 which discharges the liquids into a closed reaction chamber or combustion bomb 48. Reaction chamber or bomb 48 may be of any conventional and well known type such as employed in determining the calorific value of fuels, these being known as bomb calorimeters which are closed vessels sufliciently strong to withstand high pressure without rupturing. A bomb calorimeter of such type is described on page 229 of Power Plant Testing by James Ambrose Moyer, published by McGraw- Hill Book Co. Inc., New York, N. Y. (1926). While such a vessel is exemplary of a bomb the invention does not relate to calorific values but, rather, to the phenomena which occurs within the reaction chamber or bomb while a fuel is burned therein at constant pressure. Chamber 43 may be maintained at constant pressure by a pressure relief valve 49. A conduit 50 communicates with chamber 48 and branching conduits 51, 51a, the latter communicating, respectively, with cylinders 11, 11a at the sides of the pistons opposite to the liquid delivery sides.

In the operation of the device, the pistons are disposed in a desired position within their cylinders, and the latter filled with liquid from their respective sources of supply after which valves 44, 44a are manually closed and valves 46, 46a manually opened. The position of pivot pin 19 is adjusted as desired to select the relative strokes of the pistons and with motor 4.1. rotating at a desired speed, clutch 42 is actuated which rotates screw 32, swinging lever 16 about pivot 19 and moving the pistons in opposite directions, discharging the liquids from the cylinders. When the apparatus is employed for testing liquid propellants, such as a liquid fuel and a liquid oxidant, the latter are delivered to an injector 47 and thence into reaction chamber 48. By utilizing the pressure in the reaction chamber against one side of each piston, it will be apparent that the work required to operate the apparatus is substantially only that required to overcome the differential pressure between the pumping pressure and reaction chamber pressure. After completion of one stroke of the pistons, they may be re turned to their original position by manually rotating teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for burning liquid fuels comprisingin combination; a pair of cylinders, each having a reciprocable piston disposed therein; each cylinder being closed at its opposite ends to provide an expansible chamber at each side of its contained piston, a reaction chamber in which liquid fuel is adapted to be burned at substantiah ly constant pressure, conduit means communicating the reaction chamber with one of the chambers in each cylinder, whereby each piston is aided in its movement by the reaction chamber pressure, liquid oxidant in the other chamber of one of the cylinders, liquid fuel in the other chamber of the other cylinder, conduit means communicating the fuel and oxidant containing chambers with the reaction chamber, power transmission means operatively connected to the pistons constructed and arranged to vary the relative strokes of the pistons, whereby a preselected mixture of fuel and oxidant may be delivered to the reaction chamber, and variable speed drive means operatively connected to the power transmission means for operating same at a preselected speed.

2. Apparatus for reacting liquids comprising; a pair of cylinders, each'having a reciprocable piston disposed therein, each cylinder being closed at opposite ends to provide an expansible chamber at each side of its contained piston, means including an inlet for supplying one of the chambers of each cylinder with liquid and for trapping same therein, outlets for the chambers aforesaid through which trapped liquid may be discharged therefrom, mechanism for simultaneously moving the pistons including piston rods for the pistons and adjustable means for selecting the relative strokes of the pistons for a predetermined movement of the mechanism, whereby the ratio of liquid discharge volumes from the cylinders may be selected as desired, a reaction chamber, means communicating the outlets with the reaction chamber for delivery of the discharged liquid to the reaction chamber, and means communicating gas pressure in the reaction chamber to the other chamber of each cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 27,218 Hanson Feb. 21, 1860 202,178 Laney Apr. 9, 1878 865,558 Arrosmith'"; Sept. 10, 1907 1,621,142 Vogel Mar. 15, 1927 2,407,852 Smith Sept. 17, 1946 

